FACT FILE ABOUT THE SUPER EAGLES.

The Nigeria Football Association was born in 1945 after a complicated but short pregnancy involving multiple parents and an immaculate conception. This however is not to say that organized football in Nigeria did not take place prior to this date.

In fact quite the contrary, because as far back as when Lord Lugard's officers first lined up against their native regulars, football had already captivated her new African audience and was being played with total glee as well as true and unchecked love.

This can be reflected by various facts - two of them being that not only did a slew of local football associations already exist in places like Calabar and Port Harcourt prior to 1945; but that there were already clubs in existence and engaged in active face offs. Add to this other serious competitions in the form of the Comet Cup in the North, the Unafrico in the East, the Thermogene Cup in the West and the Pilot in Lagos which all came complete with imported referees and half-time entertainment - and we see a picture of intense activity taking shape.

Needless to say, all of the above including the "cash and carry games" between other select sides like Baba Ekos 11, the Kings College team or even the local Pilot club dubbed "the mosquitoes" set the tone for a climate that would be eager not just to accept the new game, but also actively support a bigger and better version....enter the Nigeria Football Association.

With the introduction of the Governor's Cup in early 1945 by the then Governor-General of Nigeria Sir Arthur Richards and the reins of the new union firmly in the grasp of her first unofficial but recognized head Pa Mulford, the NFA grew from say, a one door garage to a full scale parking lot complete with elevators and air conditioning.

Her tournaments ran with the precision of a Swiss watch and the efficiency of a Mercedes axle, as no stones were left unturned to ensure success by him and each of the succeeding 6 English Chairmen. By 1959, the NFA had completed her first golden era and was a full fledged member of both CAF and FIFA. The future, to say the least looked very bright for Africa's new Independent Giant.

1960 saw independence come and go and the NFA voted in her first indigenous chairman in the form of Godfrey Amachree who was however moved within months to the UN, starting the never ending game of "in and out" or "pin the tail on the donkey". Sadly this very game started almost 3 decades ago would remain till today and has enveloped the NFA like a musty armpit immune to roll-on.

This game of "musical chairs" continued throughout a decade that saw assorted resignations, firings, allegations of fraud, detective playing manager, sub-par international play and whose only highlight was the Nations Cup debut in Ghana in 1963. Sadly it would take only Amachree's return from the UN to stop the implosion - but needless to say, though he sealed the wound and checked the bleeding, the NFA remained a weak shadow of what it was a couple of years before!

The 1970's started with the conclusion of the nightmare that was Biafra, and to everyone's dismay the NFA was still bent on playing trial and error and at this point it is doubtful whether she could even kick a ball into an open net let alone provide the technical support she gave just 2 decades ago. But then the nation was healing and somehow kwashiokor in the East and rebuilding was of more importance than an inflated bladder being chased around for 90 minutes.

Anyway, in the first 3 years for example, 4 Chairmen were appointed, one lasting a whole 1 month and 1 week. But you know what? The Chinese are right when they say "the night is darkest shortly before dawn" as better things were bound to happen....and they did. The sun for Nigerian Football finally came in the form of one Sunday Dankaro the NFA's longest serving Chairman to date, whose no-nonsense, hands-on approach proves that even in hell a plant will survive with a little love and water. Dankaro, a former first class soccer player, capitalized on the gap in leadership within the other ball and chain, the now defunct National Sports Commission (NSC), and tripled the match bonus for all national team members.

Under him sanity returned and the NFA's teams were suddenly a pack of alpha wolves spreading terror on African football's veldt by gobbling up the competition with almost reckless abandon and relative ease. There is no doubt that "the platinum era" had arrived for the NFA as her First Division teams such as Rangers International, Shooting Stars, Mighty Jets, Kano Pillars, Spartans and Sharks actively competed for a fan base not just with the then Second and Third Division teams, but with High schools as well.

At that time it was said that Lagos alone had more football clubs than the whole of East Africa put together. Football had again become the order of the day and one as a fan could only drool in anticipation of better things to come! Meanwhile at the Eagles roost, the National Sides blossomed as well - finally growing talons as well as razor sharp beaks capable of inflicting serious harm. The senior team for one narrowly missed the CAF end game both in Ethiopia and Ghana - but rocked the boat at home in 1980, becoming the African Champion in front of her delirious and up to then success-starved fans.

The junior team not to be outdone by the Golden Green Eagles followed suit, so much so that the fans rechristened them Flying Eagles as they matched each feat set by the older camp step for step. Their play provided the nation with a coming attractions commercial of what the future, with good management, could be like. But alas it would not be! For what is life without a little controversy and confrontation? Some say a nap! Anyway siesta or no siesta, the wicked witch reappeared, waved her evil wand, and we were suddenly back to square one again. Out of the blue Dankaro was "promoted" and given total control of the "new" NSC which at that time was another crisis in the making. With her "sun" now gone the NFA had to rely on manual illumination and at first she seemed to have found her torchlight in the Auburn University educated air force officer, Group Captain Anthony Ikhazoboh who took center stage from Dankaro's successor, Colonel Mike Okwechime in early 1984. He for one implemented a modernization attempt as well as a "greater tomorrow" training process that bore fruit only a year later when the U-17 team hoisted the maiden World Cup over their heads. But then the wand was waved again and he was dismissed without any valid explanation, and the dance of fools went into overdrive.

The story is told of the victorious German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel whom, after the battle of Tobruk, made captured English officers wait and drink after their regulars to whom he said "You have fought like lions but have been led by donkeys". Oh! How history repeats herself, because add circa 50 years or so, trace your finger a couple of inches to the South of Libya and you could be saying the same to our "flock"....be they Super, Flying or Golden Eagles, or even Falcons. This is because the NFA officials at both the Mount Olympia of Nigerian football called the "Glass House" in Abuja, as well as on Ogunlana Drive in Surulere just seemed to trip over themselves with blunder after blunder and one wrong appointment after another.

First came Group Captain John Obakpolor another air force Officer, then Retired Justice Chuba Ikpeazu (Part 2), to be followed by Effiom Okon and then just as if to support the mass confusion theory the return of yup, you guessed it....Ikhazoboh. The dance had now become a full fledged Puff Daddy extended mix as names too many to list still came and went and the erosion continued not slowly like rust on a roof that builds up gradually; but fast as the deliberate implementation of nothing under possibly her worst and, at the time of writing, present chairman Colonel Abdulmumuni Aminu, finally put her in intensive care. Once called Nigeria's strongest political party it slumbers presently in limbo, broke, without true leadership or head coach and just inches away from the new millennium and her most severe test to date - hosting CAF in Lagos. Dawn needless to say cannot come too soon!

In the midst of this 1990's scenario right out of Dante's Inferno, the tenacity, the hardihood of the Nigerian player and the endurance of her fans has continued to shine through. It is simply amazing and an outstanding compliment to the Nigerian talent pool that under these conditions they would qualify for the Nations Cup four times in a row and start a home unbeaten streak that is within crowing distance of 20 years. The "Missing pants" debacle against Burkina Faso at home notwithstanding, Nigeria won the Nations Cup again in 1994 as well as her group in the World Cup 1994 and was seconds away from shocking the world against Italy. Picking up where she left off, a very talented Eagles team continued to soar by mauling the rest of the World in Atlanta, including the 2 super powers Brazil and Argentina, and becoming the Olympic Champion. Arguably Africa's finest hour in football had arrived.

The stunning flight of fancy continued as Nigeria became the first country to qualify for the World Cup in France where she again won her group. There is no doubt in my mind that she would have reached the final in at least one, if not both, of the last two Nations Cup finals had she not been serving a four year suspension brought upon by a political feud between the country's military leadership and CAF management.

The hindrance represented by the quality of administrative support extended to the hiring and retention of coaches. In the 8 years since Clemens Westerhof departed with a record as Nigeria's most successful coach ever, Nigeria has had no less than 9 different coaches, an instability falsely indicative of on-pitch failure. Of this number, 2 (Johannes Bonfrere and Shaibu Amodu) have occupied the position twice, Amodu having to take over from Bonfrere in 2001 at the head of a holy triumvirate popularly called the AKE3io (Amodu, Stephen Keshi and Joe Erico) that plucked the chestnut out of the fire and ensured Nigeria's qualification for the 2002 World Cup finals. After a poor showing at CAN 2002 in Mali however, when Nigeria finished 3rd, the Sports Ministry -rather than the NFA-unceremoniously dismissed the AKE3io and appointed a former Green Eagles coach, Adegboye Onigbinde, to the helm for the World Cup journey.

Given the enormous talent pool from which Nigeria can draw, the future for Nigerian football continues to be bright. However in order for Nigerian football to achieve its true potential, true organization and order must return to the NFA. By SUYA and 'GBENGA 2002

Record: World Cup: 1994 (2nd round); 1998 (2nd Round); 2002.

Cup of African Nations: Champions: 1980; 1994. 2nd Place 1984; 1988; 1990; 2000. 3rd Place: 1976; 1978; 1992; 2002.

All-African Games: 1963 (1st Round); 1973 (Champions); 1978 (2nd); 1992 (2nd)

Biggest Win (Home): 10-1 v. Dahomey

Biggest Win (Away): 7-2 v Thailand 1968 Olympics Heaviest Defeat (Away): 0-7 v. Ghana in Accra

Most Successful Coach: Clemens Westerhof.

Most Capped Player: Mudashiru Lawal (Muda) - 86 caps.

Longest Career: Peter Rufai (17 years)

Most Goals Scored: Rashidi Yekini - 37 goals

Most Decorated Player: Christian Chukwu

Most Successful Clubs: Enugu Rangers International, IICC Shooting Stars (3SC)' Bendel Insurance.

THE NIGERIA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION Founded: 1945